The present invention relates to the making of a hot aerated or foamed liquid product or beverage. In particular, the invention includes a process for making a foamed topping for a hot beverage, more particularly for making a Cappuccino-style coffee beverage, and to the resulting beverages.
Conventional instant hot Cappuccino dry-mix compositions are based on powder components such as dried coffee solids, dried milk solids with added flavors, stabilizers, and sweeteners. These coffee and milk concentrates are usually in a granular or particulate form incorporating a gas. The addition of boiling water or hot milk to these concentrates results in an instant beverage with a foam topping. The formation of a foamed phase above the coffee/milk liquid is due to physical or chemical means of gas incorporation into the milk solids. Cappuccino compositions of the above-discussed types are described in European Patent Application 01 54 192 and PCT Patent Application W096/08153.
It has been found that the incorporation of gas into the powder can change the density of the powder making it more fragile. The amount of gas incorporated may thus be limited by limitations on the density of the powder. Furthermore, for some powder compositions, a high foam volume in the final beverage may be difficult to achieve.
The invention relates to a method of preparing a beverage having foamed milk-based topping which comprises preparing a frozen concentrated milk having an overrun of at least 80%, and combining a liquid with the frozen concentrated milk to form the beverage. A beverage-forming component, such as a flavored beverage base, can be present separately or be added in the liquid in order to form the beverage. The preferred beverage-forming components include coffee, cocoa, or chocolate-based components, or mixtures thereof. These components can be in dry powder or liquid form.
Advantageously, the frozen concentrated milk is associated with a beverage-forming component before adding the liquid thereto. One way to do this is to form layers of the components as a separate product. A preferred product is formed by co-extruding the beverage-forming component and frozen concentrated milk. Thereafter, the product simply needs to be combined with a liquid to form the beverage.
Often, a hot beverage is desired. To obtain this, the liquid may be heated to a temperature of at least about 40xc2x0 C. before the beverage is formed. Alternatively, the beverage may be heated after the liquid is added. Typical liquids include water, milk or mixtures thereof.
The invention also relates to a product comprising a beverage-forming component and a frozen milk concentrate component, wherein the frozen milk concentrate component incorporates a gas therein at an overrun of at least 80%, with the components constituting distinct separate portions of the product and being present in amounts sufficient to form a beverage having a foamed milk topping thereon after addition of a liquid to the product and melting of the frozen milk concentrate component. Preferred beverage-forming components include cocoa or coffee with the coffee being in the form of soluble coffee or a frozen coffee liquor. The distinct components are generally present in layers. If desired, a handle can be used for supporting the beverage-forming component and milk concentrate.
Another embodiment of then invention relates to a package comprising the beverage-forming component and frozen milk concentrate component. As above, the frozen milk concentrate component incorporates a gas at an overrun of at least 80%, and the components being present in amounts sufficient to form a beverage having a foamed milk topping thereon after addition of a liquid thereto and melting of the frozen milk concentrate component.
The package typically includes a first compartment for the beverage-forming component and a second compartment for the frozen milk concentrate component. Preferably, this package is in the form of a cup wherein the beverage-forming component and frozen milk concentrate component are present in amounts sufficient for one serving, with the cup being adapted to receive and retain liquid for forming the beverage.
In another embodiment, the frozen product comprises a beverage-forming component and a frozen milk component, wherein the frozen milk component incorporates a gas therein at an overrun from 80% to less than 150%, with the components constituting distinct separate portions of the product and being present in amounts sufficient to form a beverage having a foamed milk topping thereon after addition of a liquid to the product and melting of the frozen milk component.
In a preferred embodiment, the milk component comprises an emulsifier or a blend of emulsifiers. The emulsifier improves the gas incorporation, the stiffness, volume and stability of the foaming milk topping. It also enhances the whitening effect of the topping.
In a preferred embodiment, the milk component comprises a thickening agent. A suitable thickening agent is a hydrocolloid, and preferably is a guar gum. The thickening agent is added in an amount sufficient to increase the viscosity of the milk component. It also improves gas incorporation into the milk component. This ingredient is typically used in a small amount, preferably about 0.05 to 0.45% by weight of the total concentrated milk component.
In a preferred embodiment, the milk component comprises a monoglyceride. This ingredient is also used in a small amount in the mix, and also improves the gas incorporation. A typical amount is about 0.01 to 0.6% by weight of the milk component.
In another embodiment, the milk component comprises: skimmed milk, fat, sugar, emulsifier or blend of emulsifiers, a thickening agent and water. The fat can advantageously be cream with 40% fat in an amount of between about 10 to 30% by weight of the total amount of the milk concentrate component.
The invention also relates to a method of producing a frozen product intended for the preparation of a hot beverage with a foamed milk-based topping. The frozen product generally comprises a beverage-forming component and a frozen milk component, and the method includes the steps of mixing the ingredients to provide a milk-based phase, homogenizing the milk-based phase, heat treating the milk-based phase, incorporating gas into the milk-based phase until the suitable level of overrun is achieved, and filling a mold with frozen milk-based phase and the beverage-forming component.
In a preferred embodiment, incorporating gas is achieved by freezing the milk-based phase while including applying mechanical tossing to the milk-based phase. In another embodiment, incorporating the gas is achieved by aerating the milk-based phase.
Preferably, after filling the frozen milk phase, a central portion of the frozen milk-based phase is withdrawn so as form an outer shell of the frozen milk phase and leave a central cavity into which the beverage-forming component is filled to form the core of the frozen product.
It is also desirable that after filling the beverage-forming component in the central cavity, the top of the beverage-forming component is covered by frozen milk so as to form an encased core of the beverage-forming component. To do this, a certain amount of the frozen milk is refilled onto the beverage-forming component in the top portion of the cavity.
Finally, the invention also relates to a frozen product intended for the preparation of a hot beverage with a foamed milk-based topping; the frozen product comprising a beverage-forming component and a frozen milk component, wherein the product has the shape of a bar comprising a core of the beverage-forming component and an outer shell of the frozen milk component encasing the core.